How can I stop feeling guilty, sometimes even after I’ve confessed and repented my sins?

The main way to not feel guilty is to not BE guilty.

However, if we have sinned and we have a properly formed conscience, we will feel guilty almost immediately after sinning, if not during sinning. A good conscience helps us have quick guilt, quick repentance, and then no guilt.

If we still feel guilty after repenting and confessing our sins, we should not “re-confess” the forgiven sins again in the Sacrament. By faith we should refuse to doubt that God the Father has forgiven us. We should thank our Father for forgiving us, even if we don’t feel forgiven.

Our false guilt may indicate we need healing. However, if we are still burdened by guilt after receiving others’ prayers for healing, we should ask Jesus and the Holy Spirit to reveal to us the Father’s immeasurable love and mercy towards us. A deep awareness of our Father’s personal love for us will dispel false guilt. This false guilt is not from above.

Finally, we must remember God’s nature; God IS Love. He yearns to forgive us. Recall the lives of the saints. In Scripture look at the life of King David, St. Peter, Mary Magdalene, etc. All the people, from all social levels and ethnicities, came to Christ.
Scripture says, “ And Jesus healed them all.” Matt 12:15.

Please visit our Provincial Website ( laydomsouth.org ) to read the Master of the Order’s letter. “2014 Year of the Dominican Laity and Preaching.” As part of the Novena which end in the 2016 800th Anniversary of the Founding of the Order of Preachers, the theme of 2014 is The Dominican Laity and Preaching, “Your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old me shall dream dreams, your young shall see visions” Joel 3:1.

To celebrate this Year of the Dominican Laity, our Province will be celebrate this occasion with a Congress August 6 – 9 at the Marriott DFW in Irving Texas. The registration fee will be $50 and the room rate at the hotel is $119 plus tax. (If you room with three other people, your portion of the room expenses will 29.75 plus taxes per day). If we are able to raise enough money through our fundraising efforts, the registration fee will be reduced. Please check our Website, laydomsouth.org, for information about a handmade quilt with the image of Martin de Porres. Mr. Rick Danner, O.P., of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist Group in Pensacola, FL is the quilter. He describes the quilt as:

a “Folkloric” style Martin de Porres art quilt for a provincial wide quilt raffle to raise

funds for the 2014 Congress

You may take a chance on winning this quilt on our Website.

The Executive Council thanks you for all you are doing in your Chapters and Groups and for the Province.

I look forward to seeing you all on Saturday for our Laity meeting. Cheryl will not be able to be with us.

I remind you that we are going to discuss chapters 3 and 4 of Pope Francis’ exhortation: “the Joy of the Gospel.” I talked too much at the last session so I will be relying on you all to help me keep my mouth shut!

Here are some things to think about as you prepare:

What is the Pope’s message for us baptized Christians?
How will we respond to his message as individual Dominicans?
What message has Pope Francis for our community of Dominican preachers?

Looking forward to seeing you on Saturday.

Also: Ellen Mahon, one of our newer members, is collecting used shoes for Haiti— “Soles for Souls.” So, if you have shoes you haven’t been wearing recently, it may be time to share them with people who don’t have shoes.

Please join us for the Dallas Lay Dominican Meeting on Saturday, December 14, 2013 at St. Albert’s Priory. All inquirers and candidates will meet with Annette Butler at 2:00p.m. The Dominican General Meeting will begin at 3:00p.m. starting with fellowship and food.

Debbie Russell will give the December talk on Pope Francis’ Encyclical, Lumen Fidei.

Thank you for a beautiful March meeting last Saturday! It was very special to have a visit from the leaders of the St. Martin de Porres Southern Province. All of the visiting friars were so welcoming and inviting, … and they allowed us so much freedom to use their space! The priory is truly a home to each one of us. We are especially grateful to Father Jude who took so much time to spend with us and instruct us in circle preaching. It was very insightful.

Please join us for the Dallas Lay Dominican Meeting this Saturday, March 9, 2013 at St. Albert’s Priory. All inquirers and candidates will meet with Annette Butler at 2:00p.m. The Dominican General Meeting will begin at 3:00p.m. starting with fellowship and food. The remainder of the meeting will follow the outline below. Also, see the questions for Rediscover Catholicism; they are available as attachments as well. Pray for the novitiates and friars at St. Albert’s Priory as well as the Papal conclave meeting in Rome to elect our new Pope. This is a sacred time.

· Before you come to the meeting, read Sunday’s Gospel – Luke 15: 1-3, 11-32, The Parable of the Lost Son
· Bring your Bible, a journal or notepad, and writing utensils. Questions for chapters 1-5
· Review the outline below
· Snacks: Davis Toups, cookies…There are two other people. Please bring your snacks.